The decade of 1860s was a significant time period in American History. Many inventions, events, and political instances contributed to how the nation was shaped during this decade. The Pony Express, Homestead Act, New York Draft Riots, Sand Creek Massacre, Election of 1864, passing of the 13th Amendment, founding of the KKK, and the completion of the first transcontinental railroad are only a few examples of what occurred during the 1860s. Timeline of key events in the 1860s
1860 – Pony Express. 1860 – Abraham Lincoln was elected President of the U.S. 1860 – South Carolina withdraws from the Union 1861 – 10 more states withdraw from the Union and establish the Confederate States of America 1862 – Homestead Act. 1863 - Homestead Act lands were infested with locusts that consumed everything insight. 1863 – New York Draft Riots. 1864 – Sand Creek Massacre. 1864 – U.S. Presidential Election 1865 – Abraham Lincoln was assassinated and Andrew Jackson became President 1865 – American Civil War ends as the last elements of the Confederacy surrender 1865 – 13th Amendment passes, permanently outlawing slavery. 1866 – Ku Klux Klan founded; white men who opposed African Americans fighting for their civil rights and whites who sympathized with them. 1868 – Impeachment of Andrew Johnson, acquitted by the Senate 1868 – Fourteenth Amendment is ratified; second of the Reconstruction Amendments (combine with 13th Amendment) 1869 – The First Transcontinental Railroad is completed at Promontory Summit, Utah. The Union Pacific and Central Pacific met at this location to celebrate the Last Spike. Its success significantly changed the nation in numerous ways.
The Homestead Act was a bill that stated that any citizen could claim 160 acres of surveyed government land. This bill was mostly formed for farmers because the Congress wanted them to grow crops and better the given land. Residents acquired the land had to pay a $1.25. The land was sold by Congress for revenue purposes. The Homestead act requirements relates to most situations in the U.S. An example for one can be presidency.For instance, you had to live in the U.S. for a certain amount of time to be a considered a citizen.You also had to be a certain age to attain the land. For presidency, the same rules applied.You also had to be a certain age and live in the U.S. You also had to be an American. Many wonder why it was created? Well, the act was made my Congressman Andrew Johnson and signed by President Lincoln so that the Southern States would leave the Union and use the land on their own. Slaves were tohave no part in the land. It caused many problems because the Southerners wanted to expand their profit and they needed help of slaves. So very few took the deal. Some took the deal, and still kept slaves involved. Other problems the tenants of the land had to worry about were Indian attacks and robbery. Having such a big land would lead to a lot of robbery and kidnappings. The settlers who took the deal knew what they were getting into. The Europeans heard of the bill and migrated toward the land and offered to sell settlers even more acres with transportation. This was beneficial for farmers with little or no equipment. However they had to pay even more than what they had paid the first time for the homestead Act. -Malcolm Solomon.
The Pony Express was founded by William H. Russell, William B. Waddell, and Alexander Majors. The Pony Express was first made up because of the Civil War and the need for faster communication with the West. It consisted of groups of young men riding horses carrying sacks of mail across a 2000-mile trail. The Pony Express officially got started on April 3, 1860, when riders left from St. Joseph, Missouri, and Sacramento, California. The first trip was made in 9 days and 23 hours and the second trip was made in 11 days and 12 hours. The pony riders covered 250 miles in a 24-hour day. The Pony Express had more than 100 stations, 80 riders, and around 500 horses. The service lasted only 19 months until October 24, 1861, when the completion of the Pacific Telegraph line endedthe need for its existence. California relied on news from the Pony Express during the early days of the Civil War, but the horse line was never a financial success, leading the Pony Express founders to bankruptcy. However, the romantic drama surrounding the Pony Express has made it a part of the legend of the American West. -Kathy Parra
President Lincoln announced the Emancipation Proclamation, which takes effect on January 1st, 1863. This would free the slaves in the states that are still in rebellion of the thought. The Emancipation Proclamation was the war being fought in part on behalf of black freedom and equality.
The reason for all of these riots are discontent new laws that were passed by congress to make men join on an ongoing war called the American Civil War. These riots only lasted for 3 days from July 13 to July 16, 1863.
o New York Draft Riots started on July 13th. Lincoln tried to get 300,000 men to join the army. Those who supported the Union cause were frightened by this. The wealthy could buy themselves out of this situation. Those who were normal citizens who didn’t have a choice were furious about the idea of getting more men out to fight the war. As soon as the draftees names were published, within hours groups of citizens/non citizens raided the city. There were about 50,000 people. Mobs terrorized the neighborhoods and raided stores. Lincoln had deployed the Federal Army from the Potomac to restore order and stayed around the city for several weeks to keep it under control. Over 1.5 millions dollars was the cost of damage, over 100 were injured and unknown number were killed. In the end about only 150,000 men were drafted on the army.
The First Transcontinental Railroad - 1869Courtney Brockman The completion of the first transcontinental railroad was an enormous accomplishment for the U.S. One of the many things it affected was transportation. Before the railroad, America's first steam locomotive was introduced in 1830. Journeys across mountains, plains, rivers, seas, and deserts were risky and difficult. These expeditions often brought illnesses and diseases. However, by 1861, a young engineer named Theodore Judah joined a group of investors in Sacramento to form the Central Pacific Railroad Company. He convinced Congress leaders and President Lincoln to sign the Pacific Railroad Act into law the following year. There were two competing companies that were associated with building the railroad: The Central Pacific Railroad Company and the Union Pacific Railroad Company. The Central Pacific built east from Sacramento and the Union Pacific built west from Nebraska. The bill stated that the two would meet in the middle and each company would receive 6,400 acres of land and $48,000 in government bonds for every mile of track built.
Building the railroad endured many dangerous risks and difficult labor. The Union Pacific suffered many bloody attacks on its workers by Native Americans. However, compared to the Central Pacific, the Union Pacific still built quickly across the plains. The man who was in charge of the Central Pacific's construction was Charles Crocker. In 1865, he began hiring Chinese laborers because he lost many workers due to the tough labor. In many photos of construction on the railroad, you do not see any Chinese or Black people because it would have caused a scandal. The dangers and difficulties that came about promoted the mythology of the "Wild" which included drinking, gambling, prostitution, and violence. It took six years to build the transcontinental railroad and almost all of it was by hand.
The Central Pacific and the Union Pacific eventually met at Promontory Summit, Utah. On May 10, 1869, Governor Stanford drove the Last Spike, which symbolized the completion of the railroad. This was an incredible event, however, it was fake due to technical problems. Governor Stanford took the hammer and missed the first time he struck. There were four spikes driven that afternoon. Even though there was much attention focused on the last spike, the railroad had not actually run to either coast yet. Once the final connection was made in August 1870, the railroad was completed. The route of the railroad followed Oregon, Mormon, and California trails. The fare for the journey from Omaha to San Francisco was $65.
The completion of the railroad changed the nation in many ways and led to great success. Americans began to say new phrases such as "time's up," "time's a wasting," and "the train is leaving the station." The nation was also divided into the four standard time zones that we experience today. Western agricultural products, coal, and minerals could move freely to the east coast. The transcontinental railroad also united East and West. Passengers could reach the west coast much faster and cheaper. It took a number of days instead of months at one tenth of the cost. Also, the railroad was a positive influence that encouraged Americans to have faith that "with money, determination, and organization, anything can be accomplished."
The Sand Creek Massacre, also known as Chivington's massacre, happened to the Cheyenne Natives. This event happened on November 29th, 1864. Some of the events that led up to the massacre was the gold rush. Another event that happened was the western migration. In 1861, Black Kettle and John Evans, signed the Fort Lyon treaty, which placed the boundaries for the American Land and Native lands. This treaty stated that the Native land would not be disturbed by the settlers. During the gold rush, a lot of the settlers moved onto native land, which made the natives mad. John Evans assigned Colonel John Chivington to calm the Natives down. Soon the Natives and the settlers got into a fight. Black Kettle, who was a peaceful chief, did not want to fight and insisted the two sides to get along. Colonel John Chivington decided that he would accept the pleads of the chief, and told him to go to sand creek to surrender all arms. Colonel Chivington brought 1,200 men, and at dawn of November 29th, 1864, he ambushed the Natives, attempting to slaughter them. Black Kettle realized what was going on, he raised an American flag and a white flag to show how he was surrendering. Colonel Chivington did not accept the surrendering, and attacked the Natives. He killed 2/3 of the tribe, mainly women and children. He scalped the Natives and took some of their body parts. The townspeople around him praised him for taking care of the Native problem. When Congress and the Army heard of the massacre, they relieved Colonel John Chivington of his duties, and the men that fought were punished.
1866 – Ku Klux Klan founded.
The KKK was created to oppose and terrorize black people and white people sympathetic to blacks. It was founded in 1866 by Confederate war veterans Civil War veterans Captain John C. Lester, Major James R. Crowe, John D. Kennedy, Calvin Jones, Richard R. Reed, Frank O. McCord.
It was said that The name the KKK was in mock imitation of Greek-based named faternities. The KKK was created by these civil war veterans because they wanted to keep slavery. it was created to oppose acts such as: The civil rights act, the freemans act and any other acts or laws that gave African Americans any type of rights or freedom. There were many different kkk groups founded throughout the South. White men would join the KKK because they were scared that the freed slaves would have a violent uprising against them. Because of this fear the KKK quickly become one of the most powerful organization in the South. The men of the KKK would wear white cardcoard hats and white sheets on raids to target blacks who worked towards gaining cicil rights or engaged in any activities that angered white people. The KKK's goal was to terrorize black people and any one who had sympathy for them. They terrorized them by burning down them and their houses, whipping and hanging them and much more.
Three Ku Klux Klan members arrested in Tishomingo County, Mississippi, September 1871, for the attempted murder of an entire family.
Nathan Bedford Forrest
A cartoon threatening that the KKK would lynch carpetbaggers. From the Independent Monitor, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, 1868.
Timeline of key events in the 1860s
1860 – Pony Express.
1860 – Abraham Lincoln was elected President of the U.S.
1860 – South Carolina withdraws from the Union
1861 – 10 more states withdraw from the Union and establish the Confederate States of America
1862 – Homestead Act.
1863 - Homestead Act lands were infested with locusts that consumed everything insight.
1863 – New York Draft Riots.
1864 – Sand Creek Massacre.
1864 – U.S. Presidential Election
1865 – Abraham Lincoln was assassinated and Andrew Jackson became President
1865 – American Civil War ends as the last elements of the Confederacy surrender
1865 – 13th Amendment passes, permanently outlawing slavery.
1866 – Ku Klux Klan founded; white men who opposed African Americans fighting for their civil rights and whites who sympathized with them.
1868 – Impeachment of Andrew Johnson, acquitted by the Senate
1868 – Fourteenth Amendment is ratified; second of the Reconstruction Amendments (combine with 13th Amendment)
1869 – The First Transcontinental Railroad is completed at Promontory Summit, Utah. The Union Pacific and Central Pacific met at this location to celebrate the Last Spike. Its success significantly changed the nation in numerous ways.
PERIOD 5
The Homestead Act was a bill that stated that any citizen could claim 160 acres of surveyed government land. This bill was mostly formed for farmers because the Congress wanted them to grow crops and better the given land. Residents acquired the land had to pay a $1.25. The land was sold by Congress for revenue purposes. The Homestead act requirements relates to most situations in the U.S. An example for one can be presidency.For instance, you had to live in the U.S. for a certain amount of time to be a considered a citizen.You also had to be a certain age to attain the land. For presidency, the same rules applied.You also had to be a certain age and live in the U.S. You also had to be an American. Many wonder why it was created? Well, the act was made my Congressman Andrew Johnson and signed by President Lincoln so that the Southern States would leave the Union and use the land on their own. Slaves were tohave no part in the land. It caused many problems because the Southerners wanted to expand their profit and they needed help of slaves. So very few took the deal. Some took the deal, and still kept slaves involved. Other problems the tenants of the land had to worry about were Indian attacks and robbery. Having such a big land would lead to a lot of robbery and kidnappings. The settlers who took the deal knew what they were getting into. The Europeans heard of the bill and migrated toward the land and offered to sell settlers even more acres with transportation. This was beneficial for farmers with little or no equipment. However they had to pay even more than what they had paid the first time for the homestead Act.
-Malcolm Solomon.
The Pony Express was founded by William H. Russell, William B. Waddell, and Alexander Majors. The Pony Express was first made up because of the Civil War and the need for faster communication with the West. It consisted of groups of young men riding horses carrying sacks of mail across a 2000-mile trail. The Pony Express officially got started on April 3, 1860, when riders left from St. Joseph, Missouri, and Sacramento, California. The first trip was made in 9 days and 23 hours and the second trip was made in 11 days and 12 hours. The pony riders covered 250 miles in a 24-hour day. The Pony Express had more than 100 stations, 80 riders, and around 500 horses. The service lasted only 19 months until October 24, 1861, when the completion of the Pacific Telegraph line endedthe need for its existence. California relied on news from the Pony Express during the early days of the Civil War, but the horse line was never a financial success, leading the Pony Express founders to bankruptcy. However, the romantic drama surrounding the Pony Express has made it a part of the legend of the American West.
-Kathy Parra
New York Draft Riots -
The reason for all of these riots are discontent new laws that were passed by congress to make men join on an ongoing war called the American Civil War.
These riots only lasted for 3 days from July 13 to July 16, 1863.
The First Transcontinental Railroad - 1869Courtney Brockman
The completion of the first transcontinental railroad was an enormous accomplishment for the U.S. One of the many things it affected was transportation. Before the railroad, America's first steam locomotive was introduced in 1830. Journeys across mountains, plains, rivers, seas, and deserts were risky and difficult. These expeditions often brought illnesses and diseases. However, by 1861, a young engineer named Theodore Judah joined a group of investors in Sacramento to form the Central Pacific Railroad Company. He convinced Congress leaders and President Lincoln to sign the Pacific Railroad Act into law the following year. There were two competing companies that were associated with building the railroad: The Central Pacific Railroad Company and the Union Pacific Railroad Company. The Central Pacific built east from Sacramento and the Union Pacific built west from Nebraska. The bill stated that the two would meet in the middle and each company would receive 6,400 acres of land and $48,000 in government bonds for every mile of track built.
Building the railroad endured many dangerous risks and difficult labor. The Union Pacific suffered many bloody attacks on its workers by Native Americans. However, compared to the Central Pacific, the Union Pacific still built quickly across the plains. The man who was in charge of the Central Pacific's construction was Charles Crocker. In 1865, he began hiring Chinese laborers because he lost many workers due to the tough labor. In many photos of construction on the railroad, you do not see any Chinese or Black people because it would have caused a scandal. The dangers and difficulties that came about promoted the mythology of the "Wild" which included drinking, gambling, prostitution, and violence. It took six years to build the transcontinental railroad and almost all of it was by hand.
The Central Pacific and the Union Pacific eventually met at Promontory Summit, Utah. On May 10, 1869, Governor Stanford drove the Last Spike, which symbolized the completion of the railroad. This was an incredible event, however, it was fake due to technical problems. Governor Stanford took the hammer and missed the first time he struck. There were four spikes driven that afternoon. Even though there was much attention focused on the last spike, the railroad had not actually run to either coast yet. Once the final connection was made in August 1870, the railroad was completed. The route of the railroad followed Oregon, Mormon, and California trails. The fare for the journey from Omaha to San Francisco was $65.
The completion of the railroad changed the nation in many ways and led to great success. Americans began to say new phrases such as "time's up," "time's a wasting," and "the train is leaving the station." The nation was also divided into the four standard time zones that we experience today. Western agricultural products, coal, and minerals could move freely to the east coast. The transcontinental railroad also united East and West. Passengers could reach the west coast much faster and cheaper. It took a number of days instead of months at one tenth of the cost. Also, the railroad was a positive influence that encouraged Americans to have faith that "with money, determination, and organization, anything can be accomplished."
Sand Creek Massacre
Andrew O'Bryan
The Sand Creek Massacre, also known as Chivington's massacre, happened to the Cheyenne Natives. This event happened on November 29th, 1864. Some of the events that led up to the massacre was the gold rush. Another event that happened was the western migration. In 1861, Black Kettle and John Evans, signed the Fort Lyon treaty, which placed the boundaries for the American Land and Native lands. This treaty stated that the Native land would not be disturbed by the settlers. During the gold rush, a lot of the settlers moved onto native land, which made the natives mad. John Evans assigned Colonel John Chivington to calm the Natives down. Soon the Natives and the settlers got into a fight. Black Kettle, who was a peaceful chief, did not want to fight and insisted the two sides to get along. Colonel John Chivington decided that he would accept the pleads of the chief, and told him to go to sand creek to surrender all arms. Colonel Chivington brought 1,200 men, and at dawn of November 29th, 1864, he ambushed the Natives, attempting to slaughter them. Black Kettle realized what was going on, he raised an American flag and a white flag to show how he was surrendering. Colonel Chivington did not accept the surrendering, and attacked the Natives. He killed 2/3 of the tribe, mainly women and children. He scalped the Natives and took some of their body parts. The townspeople around him praised him for taking care of the Native problem. When Congress and the Army heard of the massacre, they relieved Colonel John Chivington of his duties, and the men that fought were punished.
1866 – Ku Klux Klan founded.
The KKK was created to oppose and terrorize black people and white people sympathetic to blacks. It was founded in 1866 by Confederate war veterans Civil War veterans Captain John C. Lester, Major James R. Crowe, John D. Kennedy, Calvin Jones, Richard R. Reed, Frank O. McCord.
It was said that The name the KKK was in mock imitation of Greek-based named faternities. The KKK was created by these civil war veterans because they wanted to keep slavery. it was created to oppose acts such as: The civil rights act, the freemans act and any other acts or laws that gave African Americans any type of rights or freedom. There were many different kkk groups founded throughout the South. White men would join the KKK because they were scared that the freed slaves would have a violent uprising against them. Because of this fear the KKK quickly become one of the most powerful organization in the South. The men of the KKK would wear white cardcoard hats and white sheets on raids to target blacks who worked towards gaining cicil rights or engaged in any activities that angered white people. The KKK's goal was to terrorize black people and any one who had sympathy for them. They terrorized them by burning down them and their houses, whipping and hanging them and much more.